Reproducing arm



Patented June 19, 1934 I UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,963,673REPRODUOING ARM Carlos E. Patino, Long Island City, N. Y. ApplicationMarch 16, 1933, Serial No. 661,063

14 Claims. (01. 274-1 This invention relates to reproducing arms fordisk record 10, which rotates about the axis 11 use in connection withdisk records, and especially in a suitable reproducing machine whichforms arms of the amplified reproduction type electrino part of myinvention. At 12, I have shown a cally placed in communication with theamplireproducer arm rotatable on the pin 13 'which is .5 fier; and theobject of the invention is to provide supported in a suitable casing 14,the latter being 60 means for mounting and manipulating the arm securedto a part of the machine through a brackwith respect to a disk record soas to maintain the et 15. in connection with which the casing 14inneedle of the reproducer in a. vertical plane, at cluding the arm 12has a pivotal mounting as right angles to the center or what. may betermed indicated at 16, note Fig} 2 of the drawing, to

the pitch line of the sound producing grooves permit the arm to swingupwardly and down- 65 of the record to eliminate wear on the side edgeswardly with respect to the record 10. of said grooves as well as preventaccidental dis- In attaching my improved arm'to a machine placement ofthe needle from the groove and the and especially when sold independentof the rescratching or marring of the record caused thereproducermachine, I preferably provide the casing 15 by; a further object beingto provide means for 14 with a longitudinal, beveled wall tongue 14a 70rotatably or pivotally supporting the sound reprowhich slidably engagesa channeled block ,17 and I ducing head of the arm in connection withthe is held in different positions of adjustment by a free end of saidarm; a further object being to set screw 18, note Figs. 2 and 4. The arm12 is provide means at the pivot or fulcrum end of the tubular in formas clearly'seen in Figs. 1 and 2 arm for imparting rotaryv movement tothe sound of the drawing, the outer end 12a being slightly 75reproducing head independent of the rotary movenlarged to receive ablock 19 of insulating mament of said arm; a further object being toproterial to which is coupled a tubular extension vide means forswinging the pivoted end of the on an electric reproducer 21, whichcarries the arm to raise and lower the'same with respect to reproducingneedle 22. It will be noted on a conthe record to facilitate theattachment and desideration of Fig. 1 that the enlargement 12a 80tachment of records with respect to the usual has a slot 23 throughwhichthe tube 20 is free table supporting said record; a further objectto pass as the reproducer head 21 rotates on the being to provide meansfor adjusting the arm inaxis 24, provided in the end of the arm. ,At theeluding its pivot to properly position the needle of inner end of thetubular support 20 are two electhe reproducer with respect to therecord; a still tric spring contacts 25, 25a which complete cir- 85further object being to provide means including a cuitswith contacts 26,26a, secured to the block plug at the pivoted end of the arm for placing19 and to which the circuit wires 27, 27a are atthe reproducer inelectrical communication with tached, it being understood that thecontacts an amplifying unit; and with these and other 25, 25a are incircuit with the reproducer head objectsin view, the inventionconsistsin adevice 21 and the reproducing mechanism thereof so 90 of theclass and for the purpose specified, which as to transmit the soundvibrations from the is simpleinconstruction,eflicient in use and whichgrooves 10a of the record 10 to a suitable amis constructed ashereinafter described and plifying unit as in other apparatus of thisclass. claimed. In the construction shown, the wires 2'7, 27a

The invention is fully disclosed in the followpass through an opening 28formed in the bottom 95 ing specification, of which the accompanying ofthe pivoted end of the arm 12 adjacent the 1 drawing forms a part,inwhich' the separate parts pivot 13 and also through an elongatedopening of my improvement are'designated by suitable ref 29 formed inthe top of the cas'ing14 and extend erence characters in each of theviews, and in into the casing, the wire 27 being coupled with which:

' Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan and sectional view and from theresistor, a: wire 30a is grounded to showing one of my improved arms andindicating the ground side 31 of a plug socket which has a the method ofits use. .contact 32 insulated therefrom, and to which the Fig. 2 is asection on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; wire 27d is connected, and aconventional plug Fig. -3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; '33may be placed in the socket in order to couple 5 and, the electriccircuit with an amplifying unit ar- Fig. 4 is a side elevation of thedevice with part ranged in spaced relation to the casing 14.

of the construction broken away. In order to counterbalance thereproducer head In Fig. l of the drawing, I have shown for the 21 on theend of the arm and to avoid a strain on purpose of illustrating myinvention a part of a the pivot 'of the arm, I provide a counterbalance110 'an electric resistor 30 arranged in the casing 14 weight 34 at theinner pivoted end of the arm. This weightvalso serves to support theneedle 22 in proper relation with respect'tdthe grooves of the record toprevent excessive wear thereon. At the lower end of the body"19 is anannular disk or pulley 19a around which a belt 35,- preferably in theform of a metallic ribbon, is passed and to which the belt is secured ata predetermined point to prevent slipping of the belt on the pulley.This belt passes around another pulley 36 secured to the pin or shaft13, the belt being secured 44 which engage a radial pin 45 secured tothe shaft 13. The outer end of the pin 45 has an upstanding part 45awhich is disposed between the rollers 44 of the arms 41 and 42. A spring46 couples the pivoted ends of the arms 41 and 42 and serves to supportthe rollers 44 in constant engagement with the pin 45.

From the foregoing description, the operation of my improved-arm will bereadily understood when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing and the following statement. When the arm 12 including thereproducer head 21 is in the outermost position on the record 10, theparts will assume the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 or thedrawing, the head 21 being disposed angularly with respect to thelongitudinal plane of the arm or to a line connecting the pivots 13 and24. In this position of the parts, it will appear that the needle 22assumes in the outermost groove or grooves of the record, a verticalposition at right angles to the groove, so that th point of the needlewill rest on the bottom onl of the groove and will not assume an angularposition or tangent with respect to the groove which would cause awearing out of the side walls of the I groove as with the conventionaltype of mounting and method of operation of reproducer arms inconnection with disk records.

From the full line position shown in Fig. 1, as the record is beingplayed and the reproducer 21 travels inwardly toward the axis 11, thehead 21 is gradually swung on its pivot 24 through the action of the cam39 which rotates or swings withthe arm 12. The movement of the head 21is controlled by the operation of the arms 41 and 42 on the pin 45 whensaid arms are released by the cam 39, that is to say, as the cam 39would depress the roller 40 of the arm 42 and release the roller 40 ofthe arm .41,'the roller 44 of thelatter arm would move toward the roller44 of the arm 42 and move the pin 45 correspondingly, which operationrotates the head 21 or swings the same on its pivot; In this connection,it will appear that the pin 45 is in parallel relation to the needle 22,comparing Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawing, and this parallel-relationshipis always maintained. It will thus be seen that when the but regardlessof the are, the needle is always maintained at .right angles to thegroove, that is to say, through a radial line extending from the axis ofthe record and through the point in the groove where the pointed end ofthe needle 22 is positioned.

It will also be understood that by reason of the structural arrangementemployed for controlling the angular position of the head 21 or thereproducing needle 22 with respect to the arm, my improved device may beused in conjunction with records of various diameters, the

.head 21 assuming its proper angular relationship at all times,regardless of the diameter of the record, at least within theconventional records now employed. However, the same principles ofcontrol may be applied in the reproduction of any size of record, thedimensions of the several parts including the contour of the cambeingmodified to suit such changes. At a: in Fig. 1 of the drawing, I haveshown by dot and dash lines the plane of the needle, and at x thecentral line of the arm 12. This represents the innermost position ofthe arm with respect to the innermost grooves of the record 10.

It will be understood that while I have shown various details ofconstruction for carrying my invention into eii'ect, I am notnecessarily limited to the specific structural features herein shown anddescribed, and various changes therein and modifications thereof may bemade within the scope of the appended claims without departing from thespirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A reproducer device for disk records comprising an arm pivoted atapoint outwardly of the periphery of the disk in such manner as topermit the swinging movement of the free end of the arm over said disk,a reproducer head carried by the free end of the arm and includingtheusual reproducing needle, means controlled by the swinging movement ofsaid arm and extending through said arm for imparting independentswinging movement to the head with respect to the free end of said arm,a casing at the pivoted end of said arm and in connection with whichsaid arm is rotatably supported, and means within said casingcontrolling the operation of said first named means.

2. A reproducer device for disk records comprising an arm pivoted at apoint outwardly of the periphery of the disk in such manner as to permitthe swinging movement of the free end of the arm over said disk, areproducer head'carried bythe free end of the arm and including theusual reproducing needle, means controlled by the swinging movement ofsaid arm and extending through said arm for imparting independentswinging movement to the head with respect to the free end of said arm,a casing at-the pivoted end of said arm and in connection with whichsaid arm is. rotatably supported, means within said casing controllingthe operation of said first named means, and means for pivotallysupporting the casing to a stationary support to permit swingingmovement of the arin vertically toward and from said record.

, 3. A eproducer device for disk records comprising arm pivoted ata'point outwardly of the periphery of the disk in such manner as topermit the swinging movement of the free end of the arm 'over said disk,areproducer head cari by the freeend of the arm and includingloi) theusual reproducing needle, means controlled by the swinging movement ofsaid arm and extending through said arm for imparting independentswinging movement to the head with respect to the free end of said arm,a casing at the pivoted end of said arm and in connection with whichsaid arm is rotatably supportedand means for pivotally supporting thecasing to a stationary support to permit the swinging movement of saidarm vertically toward and from said record, said last named meansincluding means for adjusting the casing with respect to said last namedpivotal support.

4. A reproducer device for disk records comprising an arm pivoted at apoint outwardly of the periphery of the disk in such manner as to permitthe swinging movement of the free end of the arm over said disk,'areproducer head carried by the free end of. the arm and including theusual reproducing needle, and means controlled by the swinging movementof said arm for im-- parting independent swinging movement to the headwith respect to the free end of said arm, said means including a camrotatable with said arm.

5. A reproducer device for disk records comprising an arm pivoted at apoint outwardly of the periphery of the disk in such manner as to permitthe swinging movement of the free end of the arm over said disk, areproducer head carried by the free end of the arm and including theusual reproducing needle, and means controlled by the swinging movementof said arm for imparting independent swinging movement to the head withrespect to the free end of said arm,

said means including a cam rotatable with said arm, and a finger on thepivot of said arm controlled and operated by members engaging said camto regulate the swinging movement imparted to said reproducer head.

6. A reproducer device of the class described reproducer head, and meansin said casing actuated by said arm in the swinging movement thereof forcontrolling and regulating the movement imparted to said reproducerhead.

'7. A reproducer device of the class described comprising a casing, anarm mounted upon and pivoted to said casing, said arm being tubular inform and the free end thereof having a pivotin connection with which areproducer, head is mounted to swing on said pivot with respect to thefree end of the arm, means mounted in said arm for coupling both of saidpivots together whereby rotary movement of the first pivot will betransmitted to the second pivot to swing said reproducer head, and meansin said casing a'ctuated by said arm in the swinging movement thereoffor controlling and regulating the movement imparted to said reproducerhead, said last named means comprising a cam movable with said arm, andmembers actuated by the cam and in operative engagement with said firstnamed 8. A reproducer device of the class described comprising a casing,an arm mounted upon and pivoted to said casing, said arm being tubularpivot controlling the rotation thereof.

in form and the free end thereof having a pivot in connection with whicha reproducer head is mounted to swing on said pivot with respect to thefree end of the arm, means mounted in said arm for coupling both of saidpivots together whereby rotary movement of the first pivot will betransmitted to the second pivot to swing said reproducer head, means insaid casing actuated by said arm in the swinging movement thereof forcontrolling and regulating the movement imparted to said reproducerhead, said last named means comprising a cam movable with said arm andmembers actuated by the cam and in operative engagement with said firstnamed pivot controlling the rotation thereof, and means for pivotallymounting the casing in connection with a support to permit vertical,swinging movement of said arm.

9. A reproducer device of .the class described comprising a casing, anarm mounted upon and pivoted to said casing, said arm being tubular inform and the free end thereof having a pivot in connection with which areproducer head is mounted to swing on said pivot with respect to thefree end of the arm, means mounted in said arm for coupling both of saidpivots together whereby rotary movement of the first pivot will betransmitted to the second pivot to swing said reproducer head, means insaid casing actuated by said arm in the swinging movement thereof forcontrolling and regulating the movement imparted to said reproducerhead, said last named means comprising a cam movable with said arm andmembers actuated by the cam and in operative engagement with said firstnamed pivot controlling the rotation thereof, means for pivotallymounting the casing in connection with a support to permit vertical,swinging movement of said arm, and means at the pivoted end of the armfor counterbalancing thefree end thereof.

10. A reproducer device of the class described 115 comprising a casing,an arm mounted upon and pivoted to said casing, said arm being tubularin form and the free end thereof having a pivot in connection with whicha reproducer head is mounted to swing on said pivot with respect to 120the free end of the arm, means mounted in said arm for coupling both ofsaid pivots together whereby rotary movement of the first pivot will betransmitted to the second pivot to swing said reproducer head, means insaid casing actuated 125 by said arm in the swinging movement thereoffor controlling and regulating the movement imparted to said reproducerhead, the coupling means between said pivots comprising pulleys securedto the pivots, and a non-extensible belt 130 passed around and securedto said pulleys.

11'. A reproducer device of the class described comprising a casing, apivot shaft mounted in the casing and extending through the upper endthereof, a reproducer arm rotatably mounted on the protruding end ofsaid shaft and including a sleeve portion extending into said casing, acam on said sleeve portion within the casing, two curved control armspivoted I in the casing and normally held in engagement'with said cam, afinger projecting radially from said shaft within the casing and inconnection with which the free end of said curved control arms operateto control rotary movement imparted to'said shaft, said reproducer armcarrying at its free end a reproducer head rotatably mounted in the freeend of said arm, and means coupled with said pivot shaft for placingsaid head in operative engagement therewith to impart rotary movement tothe head in the rotation of said pivot shaft.

12. A reproducer device of the class described comprising a casing, apivot shaft mounted in the casing and extending through the upper endthereof, a reproducer arm rotatably mounted on the protruding end ofsaid shaft and including a sleeve portion extending into said casing, acam on said sleeve portion within the casing, two curved control armspivoted in the casing and normally held in engagement with said cam, afinger projecting radially from said shaft within the casing and inconnection with which the free end of said curved control arms operateto control rotary movement imparted to said shaft, said reproducer armcarrying at its free end a reproducer head rotatably mounted in the freeend of said arm, and means coupled with said pivot shaft for placingsaid head in operative engagement therewith to impart rotarymovement tothe head in the rotation of said pivot shaft, said curved control armsincluding anti-friction rollers engaging said cam and said finger.

13. A reproducer device of the class describe comprising a casing, apivot shaft mounted in the casing and extending through the upper endthereof, a reproducer'arm rotatably mounted on the protruding end ofsaid shaft and including a sleeve portion extending into said casing, acam on said sleeve portion within the casing, two curved control armspivoted in the casing and normally held in engagement with said cam, afinger projecting radially from said shaft within the casing and inconnection with which the free end of said curved control arms operateto control rotary movement imparted to said shaft, said reproducer armcarrying at its free end a reproducer head rotatably mounted in the freeend of said arm, means coupled with said pivot shaft for placing saidhead in operative engagement therewith toimpart rotary movement to thehead in the rotation of said pivot shaftpsaid curved control armsincluding antifriction rollers engaging said cam and finger, and meansforrpivotally and adjustably mounting said casing inconnectionwith asupport. v

14. A reproducer device of the class described comprising a casing, apivot shaft mounted in the casing and extending through the upper endthereof, a reproducer arm rotatably mounted on the protruding end ofsaid shaft and including a sleeve portion extending into said casing, acam on said sleeve portion within the casing, two curved control armspivoted in the casing and normally held in engagement with said cam, afinger projecting radially from said shaft within the casing and inconnection with which the free end of said curved control arms operateto control rotary movement imparted to said shaft, said reproducer armcarrying at its free end a reproducer head rotatably mounted in the freeend of said arm, means coupled with said pivot shaft for placing saidhead in operative engage-

